Realistic outlook: Big East Champions 12/2008 - National Champions 1/2010

[BullsFanInTX]

I wouldn't mind just going 10-3 (bowl game included) a ten win season is a big step forward and should keep us out of the pizza bowl (I probably won't make that trip again) or the canadian bowl.

I think you're right.  I think it will take at least 9-3 to keep us out of the pizza bowl, with the way the BE bowl lineup is.  8-4, I'm afraid we go back to B'ham.  I say at least 9-3, because it might take 10-2 to get us at least the Meineke or Sun bowl.  (that is if ND doesn't steal a BE bowl).

[Joe]

IF!  We, in a BCS conference, were undefeated, playing and defeating three - four teams ranked in the top 20, our SOS would be just fine. For us not to be in the title game, I think, there would have to be two more undefeated teams in the BCS.

I've said before, undefeated in the Big East will be extremely difficult for any team.

Big East Champions, any year from now on. 

National Champs?, I think for us it'll be one of those magical years.

GO BULLS! 

Maybe. 3 top 20 wins might have us in the discussion, but a one loss team with a hard OOC schedule like USC or Nebraska might get the nod over USF, unless we win convincingly in most our games.

That being said, I don't think some Bulls fans really know how freaking hard it is to win a national championship. Look at a school like Michigan. Consistently in the top 10, consistently pushing out 10 win seasons, consistently sending guys to the NFL and they have 1 National Championship in 60 years (and it was split at that).

USF is still 10 or so years from really competing in that department, because it will require perfection for us to attain that measure.

Joe, I agree with everything you just said, EXCEPT that it will take 10 years.  No way.  With top notch recruiting, after a couple 10 + win years, it could happen in 3-5 yrs easily.  Look at Louisville, or WVU for that matter.  I don't remember anyone talking about them for NC consideration 3-5 yrs ago (although they had good teams - just as we do now - in fact, I would put this year's USF team up against previous years UL/WVU teams favorably).  Now many people are expecting them to be in the hunt.  It can happen fast, if all the dominos fall the right way...

Realistically looking it took UL over 10 years to get their facilities, their coaching staff, their footprint, etc into the national scene. This whole Louisville as a national power all goes back to when Howard Schellenberger started laying the foundation for a successful program.

WVU on the other hand has been in the National scene before in 1988, they practically played for the National Title. In 1993, they were left out of the equation but still were undefeated heading into the bowl season.

Could it happen in less time? Yes. However, unlike UL or WVU we have 3 powerhouses getting 1st dibs on the top local talent. Until we start pulling those guys in consistently I am not sure USF is going to have the talent in the tank to go 13 straight games without a loss. It's tough.

Gotta build the reputation slowly, USF needs to build on their facilities, needs to acquire some street cred against national opponents, gain a little more fianancial help from our boosters, and start putting guys in the NFL consistently. When that does happen USF will be a national player.

[Joe]

I think you're right.  I think it will take at least 9-3 to keep us out of the pizza bowl, with the way the BE bowl lineup is.  8-4, I'm afraid we go back to B'ham.  I say at least 9-3, because it might take 10-2 to get us at least the Meineke or Sun bowl.  (that is if ND doesn't steal a BE bowl).

Not sure if ND will steal the bowl this year, I don't think a 7-5 or 6-6 ND gets the BE birth in Sun/Gator Bowl.

Your right 10-2 will probably assure we aren't in Birmingham.

[BullsFanInTX]

IF!  We, in a BCS conference, were undefeated, playing and defeating three - four teams ranked in the top 20, our SOS would be just fine. For us not to be in the title game, I think, there would have to be two more undefeated teams in the BCS.

I've said before, undefeated in the Big East will be extremely difficult for any team.

Big East Champions, any year from now on. 

National Champs?, I think for us it'll be one of those magical years.

GO BULLS! 

Maybe. 3 top 20 wins might have us in the discussion, but a one loss team with a hard OOC schedule like USC or Nebraska might get the nod over USF, unless we win convincingly in most our games.

That being said, I don't think some Bulls fans really know how freaking hard it is to win a national championship. Look at a school like Michigan. Consistently in the top 10, consistently pushing out 10 win seasons, consistently sending guys to the NFL and they have 1 National Championship in 60 years (and it was split at that).

USF is still 10 or so years from really competing in that department, because it will require perfection for us to attain that measure.

Joe, I agree with everything you just said, EXCEPT that it will take 10 years.  No way.  With top notch recruiting, after a couple 10 + win years, it could happen in 3-5 yrs easily.  Look at Louisville, or WVU for that matter.  I don't remember anyone talking about them for NC consideration 3-5 yrs ago (although they had good teams - just as we do now - in fact, I would put this year's USF team up against previous years UL/WVU teams favorably).  Now many people are expecting them to be in the hunt.  It can happen fast, if all the dominos fall the right way...

Realistically looking it took UL over 10 years to get their facilities, their coaching staff, their footprint, etc into the national scene. This whole Louisville as a national power all goes back to when Howard Schellenberger started laying the foundation for a successful program.

WVU on the other hand has been in the National scene before in 1988, they practically played for the National Title. In 1993, they were left out of the equation but still were undefeated heading into the bowl season.

Could it happen in less time? Yes. However, unlike UL or WVU we have 3 powerhouses getting 1st dibs on the top local talent. Until we start pulling those guys in consistently I am not sure USF is going to have the talent in the tank to go 13 straight games without a loss. It's tough.

Gotta build the reputation slowly, USF needs to build on their facilities, needs to acquire some street cred against national opponents, gain a little more fianancial help from our boosters, and start putting guys in the NFL consistently. When that does happen USF will be a national player.

You're right, it is extremely difficult to win 13 in a row, even for the Michigan's and Ohio State's of the world.  Still, I expect USF to be "in the hunt", or "in the NC discussion", at least competing for a NC in less than 10 yrs, not necessarily winning one, because that would have to be a magical season.  But I do think we will be in the hunt sooner rather than later.  I think as soon as next year's recruiting class you will see USF keep some top notch talent that rivals UM and FSU.  Not all, but our fare share, especially if we live up to expectations THIS year.  If not, then we will continue to be a little behind recruiting wise.  Recruits want to go to a winner, and by a winner, I mean a winner now.  If we show we are a 10+ win team for a couple years, the recruits will roll in quite nicely.   

[CRBULL]

IF!  We, in a BCS conference, were undefeated, playing and defeating three - four teams ranked in the top 20, our SOS would be just fine. For us not to be in the title game, I think, there would have to be two more undefeated teams in the BCS.

I've said before, undefeated in the Big East will be extremely difficult for any team.

Big East Champions, any year from now on. 

National Champs?, I think for us it'll be one of those magical years.

GO BULLS! 

Not that I think it is going to happen, but I have had this same debate with two or three other people on this board with the same response this thread has gotten the last couple of days.

Along with your points, here is some aditional information.

Louisville was a top contender for the NC half-way through last season, until their loss to RU, with the following schedule (I believe ours will be of equal strength this year):

KY          - W(59-28)

Temple    - W(62-0)

Miami(17) - W(31-7)

K-Sate    - W(24-6)

M-Tenn  - W(44-17)

Cinci        - W(23-17)

SU          - W(28-13)

WV(3)    - W(44-34)

RU(15)    - L(25-28)

USF        - W(31-8)

Pitt        - W(48-24)

Uconn    - W(48-17)

In the last ten years there has only been one year (2004) where there were three undefeated teams, and four where there were two (2005, 2004, 2002, 1999).

Given the schedule argument above, anyone that argues that a one-loss SEC team would get the pick first is saying that FU (intentional letter order) would have gotten picked over an unbeaten UL to play OSU for the NC last year, or that there is an unspoken rule that a team must be in the spotlight for at least a few years before getting picked for the NC.

[Joe]

Given the schedule argument above, anyone that argues that a one-loss SEC team would get the pick first is saying that FU (intentional letter order) would have gotten picked over an unbeaten UL to play OSU for the NC last year, or that there is an unspoken rule that a team must be in the spotlight for at least a few years before getting picked for the NC.

I think the only senerio where 1 loss team that had a chance of jumping an undefeated Big East team last year was Rutgers or WVU, because their SOS at the point of the discussions when they were undefeated was terrible.

UL had a top 25 SOS, and would not have been passed by anyone. With WVU or RU (Who were in the 40s/50s depending on the computer poll) it would have been very close, because a 1 loss Florida, USC, or Michigan (who all finished in the top 3 of SOS depending on the computer); might have had the computers to their advantage in the end.

As for our SOS for the upcoming season. It looks like it will be nice, but it's college football, and nothing goes as planned. I doubt that all three of the top three in the BE from last year are going to be top 10/15 caliber teams. Personally, with all the coaching changes at UL i can see them being a 3-4 loss team this year. There is always some type of drop off for a year when you are replacing the majority of the coaching staff.

I think another wildcard is Auburn. They are an average SEC team this year that could have 4 losses in conference easily. They have to go to LSU, Florida, Georgia, and Arkansas to play games. Not to mention they still have Alabama, Kansas State, and USF. Not an easy schedule. (That being said, I'll probably be wrong, they'll run the table and win the National Title)

[PitBull]

I think we are far from a Nat'l Championship and far from a Big East title.. We've never had more than one 5-star recruit in any of our recruiting classes-- we simply don't have the talent.  Kind of ironic, considering one of the [supposed] advantages of this program is its location of being in the best state for football talent.

[E.T.]

I speak about our BULLS with friends and strangers in public, on here and when talking to players the same way.

USF will win the Big East in 2007.

I also said this in 2006, and will EVERY year.

Go BULLS !!!

[Mama_Bull]

I think we are far from a Nat'l Championship and far from a Big East title.. We've never had more than one 5-star recruit in any of our recruiting classes-- we simply don't have the talent.  Kind of ironic, considering one of the [supposed] advantages of this program is its location of being in the best state for football talent.

I don't believe that a National Championship is in the cards for USF for a good number of years.  I do, however, believe that between 2007 and 2010 we will win the BE.  That is not an unrealistic goal.

[bullcocky101]

I think another trip to the pizza bowl would kill our already small bowl turnout, I know quite a few people that will not be going back to b-ham. It was good to see the bulls get the first bowl win but been there done that...lets aim BCS or at least the Sun/gator bowl, and at the very worst Car Care (NC is nice, acc opponent and we don't have that trophie yet).